The U.S. economy gained 245,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate declined to 6.7%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The improvements reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that previously was curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the November job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
@BLS_gov reports payroll increased 245,000 in November while the unemployment rate edged down to 6.7% but that was because the labor force participation rate fell, so the share of people employed also edged down by 0.1% Big problem, rising share of long term unemployed. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/BW0kzRCSbJ
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 4, 2020
The Black unemployment rate in November was 10.3% (still above the national unemployment rate for high school dropouts of 9.0%). A key reason the Black/white unemployment rate ratio stabilizes at around 2:1 is because of labor force participation rates changes. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/8lQ0U7iaQf
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 4, 2020
This string is important to get the full picture of the depth of the current labor market crisis. Tragically, our economy and the plight of American workers has become partisan. Rallying our economic forces to serve American workers in need is not viewed as a common objective.
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 4, 2020
👇 https://t.co/6DFbQmW1xj
The failure to support state and local governments, straining from collapsed revenue and rising demands for services, will be a mark on Trump and the Republican senate as they leave office. A failure to fight even a "good war" to protect Americans from unprecedented death levels https://t.co/xVU5wZACW1
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 4, 2020
Last month's biggest job gains were in transportation and warehousing (145,000), professional and business services (60,000), health care (46,000), leisure and hospitality (31,000), construction (27,000), manufacturing (27,000), financial activities (15,000) and wholesale trade (10,000). Government employment (-99,000) and retail trade (-35,000) lost jobs over the month. Employment in other major industries, including mining, information and other services, showed little change in November.
In November, the unemployment rates declined for adult women (6.1%). The jobless rates for the other major worker groups showed little or no change for the month: teenagers (14%), Black Americans (10.3%), Hispanics (8.4%), adult men (6.7%), Asians (6.7%) and White Americans (5.9%).
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) rose in November and accounted for 36.9% of the total unemployed.